Trolley.



PATENTED JULY Il, 1905.

W. R THOMPSUN.

TRULLEY.

APPLIGMION FILED mma, 1904.

M12/winrar meaux vn burr-rtree ltjatentetl (fuly 4, 1905.

lllrrirititrr lLllrricisi lilll LL] A lvl Fltlil WAN .lH t) tl l'f'clON, t) lD ORAO POL l tl, PENNSYLVANIA.

PJECEJEGATGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,965, dated July t, 190.

Application filed December 2S, 1904. Serial No. 238,641.

['11 rfi/Z lull/ont il; 12mg/ roll/ocra:

Be it known that l, Vlfuinmti liunuau .luorusoN, a citizen of the United States of rlrmerica, residing at Coraopolis, in the county of Allegheny and tfltate of Pem1sylvania, have invented certain new and useful lrnprovemei'its in '.lrolleys, of which the following is a speciiication, reference taxing had therein to the acconumnying drawings.

rlhis invention relates to certain new and useful imprownnents in trolleys, and more particularly to a novel form of harp and mechanism Yfor retaining a trolley-wire in engagement with a trolley-wheel carried bysaid harp.

'lhe primary object of this invention is to provide a novel form of harp in which a trolley-wheel is adjustably inounted and novel means in connection with said harp for normally holding said trolley-wheel in engagement with a trolley-wire over which the same travels.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel form of mechanism carried by a trolleydiarp Yfor preventing the trijilley-wire Yfrom becoming disengaged from a trolley- `wheel journaled in said harp.

A still further ('ibjectof this invention is to provide a novel lform of harp in which a trolleywheel can be adjustably journaled that can be readily used in connection with trolley poles new in use, and l have col'istructed my improved trolley device whereby the same can be manu factored at a connjiaratively small cost and of such construction that the same will withstand the rough usage to which devices of this character are generally su biectcd.

The invention finally consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more Afully described and then specifically pointed out in the claims, and, referring to the drawings accom panying this application, like numerals of reference designate correspoiuling parts throughout the several views, in whichw liigure l is a side elevation of my improved trolley. Fig. i2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, partly in perspective. Fig. 3 isa top plan view of my in'uiroved trolley. Fig.

ffl; is a detail view ot' a spindle constructed in accordance with my invention, and ltfig. 3 1s a detail view of an arm-supporting rod used in connectimi with my imprtwiul trolley.

To put my invention into practice, l have constructed a harp which comprises a sleeve l, having' integral side plates 2 2. The sleeve l is secured upon the end of a trolley-pole 3 by any desired means, lin'eferably by a pin Lt. The lower sides of the plates 2 2 are provided with outwardly-extending brackets 5 5, which are provided with apertm'es 6 (i. In these apertures are mounted rods T T. which are retained therein by spiral springs 8 d, that surround the lower ends of said rods and rest upon said brackets. 'lhe lower ends of the spiral springs are secured to the ends of the rods 7, as indicated at S), and the upper ends of said springs bear against the under faces of the substantially rectangular ends .10 lt) of a spindle il.

'lhe side plates 2 2 of the harp are provided with slots l2 l2, through which the spindle ll extends, and upon this spindle is i uriutled the ordinary type of trolley-wheel l-.l. The outer ends of the spindle are provided with substantially rectangular apertures .'15 l5, through which the upper ends of the rods '7 pass. The upper ends of the rods are formed substantially rectangular in cross sectiorn whereby they may pass through the aiiertures l5 15, and the rods at a point just below the spindle are twisted a quarter of a turn, so that the corners of the rods will be spirally disposed, (as illustrated in the drawings and iudicated at TQ) and this `formation of the rods will cause them when the spindle is depressed as hereinafter described to make a quarterturn. The ends l() of the spindle Il are also provided with apertures i6 16, in which the ends of a suitable trolley-ropc (not shown) may be secured. 'l`he side plates 2 2 near their upper edges are provided with brackets 1.7 1T, having openings .iti itl formed therein, and through said openings pass the upper ends of the rods T. These rods are made of a suflicient length whereby they will extend above the side plates 2 2, and in the upper ends of the rods 7 l secure by pins 1S) inwardly-extending spring-arms 2t). 'lthe inner ends of these arms are adapted te lie in close proximity to one another directly above the trol IOC) ley-wheel, and the end of each arm is provided l with a sleeve or tip Q1, pre terably constructed l of rubber or the like resilient-material. The l upper edges of the side plates 2 2v are prol vided with shoulders 22, the object of which l will be presently described.

The operation of my improved trolley device and the manner in which the same is manipulated is as follows: lt is a well-known l fact that as cars or vehicles exceed a prescribed rate of speed the rapidity of the car or vehicle causes the trolley-wheel to become 1 displaced from the trolley-wire upon which i it is traveling, and for this reason l have provided my improved device, which will retain the trolley-wire in close proximity to the trolley-wheel and should the same become displaced therefrom will return the wire to its normal position. On account of the elevation ot' the trolley-wire in respect to the road-bed over which it is mounted varying I have provided an adjustable and vertical reciprocating trolley-wheel. The spiral springs S, surrounding the rods, normally hold the trolley-wheel M in engagement with the wire; but should an irregularity be encountered upon the wire or a lower elevation ot' the l wire be encountered, such as passing under a bridge, the trolley-wheel will be permitted to recede from its normal position, but will at all times be held in engagement with the trolley-wire by the springs 8 8. l have provided the spring-arms 2O 20, whereby should the trolley-wheel have a tendency tojump oiJIl the trolley-wire the arms will retain the wire thereon, and I have provided the spring-arms with tips whereby the hangers which generally support the trolley-wire will be protected when passing through said arms. Should it be desired to remove the trolley-wheel from the trolley-wire, the trolley-rope, (not showin) which is connected to the outer ends oiLl the spindle upon which the trolley-wheel is jou rnaled, is pulled downwardly, which will compress the springs 8, and the downward movement of the spindle will by reason ol the spiral form of the rods 'T cause the rods T to rotate and move the arms Q() outwardly to permit the trolley-wire to pass between said arms. l rlhe shoulders 22 2Q, formed on the upper edges i of the side plates 2, will prevent the arms 2O from being moved in a reverse direction to that in which the car or vehicle Carrying the trolley is running.

1t will be noted that various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit and scope ot' the invention.

vWhat l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a trolley-pole, and a trolley-wheel, of a harp, spring-arms carried by said harp and adapted to overlie said trolley-wheel, means for partially rotating said arms, means for vertically reciprocating said trolley-wheel within said harp, substantially as described.

Q. The combination with a trolley-pole, of a harp, an adjustable spindle mounted in said harp, a wheel journaled upon said spindle,arms carried by said harp and adapted to overlie said wheel, means to partially rotate said arms, and means to adjust said wheel, substantially as described.

rlhe combination with a trolley-pole, ot' a harp, a spindle mounted in said harp, a wheel journaled upon said spindle, means carried by said harp to automatically adjust said trolleywheel, arms carried by said harp and adapted to overlie said trolley-wheel, and means to move said arms out ot' vertical alinement with said trolley-wheel, substantially as described.

The combination with a trolley-pole, and a trolley-wire, ot a harp, a spindle adjustably mounted in said harp, a wheel journaled upon said spindle and adapted to engage said trolleywire, arms overlyin, said trolley-wire, means to move said arms out ot' alinement with said trolley-wire, means to return said arms to their normal position, and means to normally hold said trolley-wheel in engagement with said trolley-wire, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereofl l afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

Wl IiliLllll, ll [IE-.HAN THOMPSON.

lllitnesses:

Janus OBuNuuDm-z, lVEss H. Ci-iAiiL'roN. 

